Portrait & Artifact Collections

MedChi’s historical portrait collection includes more than 150 portraits of Maryland physicians. These portraits were donated over the years by the subjects’ families, friends and medical societies. The collection was appraised by Sotheby’s in 2002. Some portraits were painted by well known artists such as Rembrandt Peale.

Most of the portraits are on display throughout the MedChi offices and some are grouped by theme such as the “Founders of Maryland Medicine” outside of Osler Hall.

We have created short biographies of the physicians in the portraits and digitized them as a a listing of portrait biographies. We hope that you will take some time to read through theseportrait biographies, which are a work in progress, and e-mail us at events@medchi.org you have any additional information, revisions or corrections.

MedChi also houses a collection of historic medical artifacts. Most of these are on display in MedChi’s Krause Room and in cases throughout the building. They include diagnostic instruments, apothecary viles, incubators, and surgical instruments. Many of artifacts in MedChi’s collection were given to the Smithsonian Institution in the 1960s and 1970s and are used in various displays by the Museum of American History.